Satyrium shirense Rolfe 1898 SECTION Chlorocorys Photo by © Margaret Westrop and EAst African Plants Website

Plant and Flowers in situ Malawi Photo by © Scamperdale and His Flickr Website

Common Name The Shire Highland Satyrium [An Area in Malawi]

Flower Size

Found in Malawi and Zambia, in montane grasslands at elevations around 1750 to 2500 meters as a medium sized, cool to cold growing terrestrial with ellipsoid to ovoid tubers giving rise to 6 to 7 leaved, lowest 1 to 2 sheath like, the next 2, spreading, borne near the stem base but not adpressed to the growunf, broadly lanceolate to ovate leaves and the upper leaves bract-like spaced all along the stem that blooms in the fall on a [3 to 15 cm] long, farily densely several to many flowered inflorescence carrying white flowers

The tubers of this species are collected, usually washed, cooked and pounded with groundnuts and salt and eaten with eggs.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; The Orchids of South Central Africa Williamson 1977 drawing ok; Flora Zambesiaca Vol 11 Orchidaceae Part 1 Pope 1995;

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